Mission Healing: July 10, 2011

PGY 39, Day #10
I tried to post this on the ACPE website discussion that I had told you about earlier. Today, this one, somehow got lost in cyberspace, and I can't paste into the ACPE discussion, and I am not going to type it in again. The discussion is the hottest spot on the website with over 60 posts and more than 400 views. Keep in mind, these are all Doctors who are (presumably) busy.
This is what I wanted to post ... it is going on my blog instead and I will invite them to view it here.
"Hello, Dr. G:
Thank you for your good words.  I am just glad to see this discussion in print, and that it is being sponsored by ACPE.  ACPE is showing true leadership by enabling such a conversation. But, I don't really see it as a debate, and I don't see anyone holding back ... even though I am sure that some are afraid to speak for one reason or another.  
From the postings so far, I see quite a bit of agreement, but I have also noticed that there are many viewers and only a few "posters".  I wonder who is watching and I wonder what they have to say?  Hope they speak up.
Nevertheless, although my personal preference is to see PLs and PEs on the front lines with me on a regular basis for many reasons, I don't think anyone said that "practicing full time in patient care" is required to have a "more important or more relevant" opinion.  More important than any words or opinions expressed on these electronic pages are the facts that define our success as physicians in meeting our obligations to the patients.  In other words, we all know how to talk the talk, but how well do we walk the walk?  
To keep us all walking ... perhaps a bit more in synchrony toward meeting our patient obligations, we all need sensors on the front lines.  I like real people as sensors ... real doctors and real patients.  Short of being the patients. or providers, on the front line, the next best thing is for all PEs and PLs to get out there on the front lines on a regular basis.  And, while you are at it, drag the non physician Execs and Leaders out there with you as well.  Feel the heat of the battle.  Is it so scary, or time consuming to to get out there every once in a while ... to see, feel, smell, hear and touch what is actually going on out there?  Is it so hard, that PEs and PLs can't go there?  If that is the case, maybe those folks belong in another business.
It is time for us to face the facts that the Business of Medicine has become an out of control monster composed of and driven by an outrageous number of third parties most of which are political, self serving or both.  This BUSINESS OF MEDICINE MONSTER, drives us ... more and more away from our sworn obligations to the patients.  This monster rides on our backs ... the backs of doctors and patients ... the backs of the DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP.  This monster has control, it holds the whip and the leash ... and it is not about to relinquish that control.  That is why I see the need for a new paradigm.
But, that will take time and effort ... probably 3-6 months to start and 3-5 years to build an alternative program with long term viability.  In the meantime, I will continue to push to get the PEs and PLs out onto the front lines and I will continue to look for and work with & for PEs and PLs who are clearly aligned to helping me to continue to carry out all aspects of my Healing Mission on the front lines and all the other lines for as long as I have something to offer.
My hope is that ACPE will continue to enable this discussion and will help us take the next steps toward developing a new paradigm that will help us all to stay on target with our Healing Mission.  With any luck, some of our current PEs and PLs will participate in the process and help us to make it right.
Dr. Mike"